January 29, 2013

Randy Moss: 'I'm the Greatest Receiver Ever': San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Randy Moss declared himself the greatest wide receiver to play the game during Super Bowl Media Day Tuesday. "I don't really live on numbers, I live on impact, what you are able to do out on the field," Moss said. "I really do think that I am the greatest receiver to ever play this game." Moss has 982 receptions, 156 touchdown receptions and 15,292 yards in his 14-season career, compared to Jerry Rice's 1,549 receptions, 197 touchdown receptions and 22,895 yards over 21 seasons.

Whatever, Randy. You may have been the most talented receiver ever to play the game, but you ain't the greatest, even by your own metric. If you live on impact, how many championship games have you impacted? Rice's 49ers were 3-0 in Super Bowls, and he won the MVP in the first. How about you?

Except that Moss won't come close to Rice's numbers. Rice was the best for a long period of time. Not to mention, receivers are usually expected to do some blocking on running plays. That's something the stats don't reflect.

I don't think Moss is as good as Rice (or Terrell Owens), but it's not as insane as most people want to think.

However, the real interesting story will be in about 10 years when Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald near the end of their careers. With the new high-octane offences being used by teams in the NFL, those two could be putting up some good final totals.

One would hope that both of those guys get to play on a team that has a chance to win. And, if they do, there will be other offensive options. Rice was never the only option on any team he played for. He set records within the context of contributing to winning.

I recall watching some 49ers games where Rice was double covered the entire game and his role was adjusted to be primarily a blocker. He always executed to perfection, the 49ers won, and another player was credited with the key offensive plays. On other occasions he could go nuts a rack up 200 yards receiving in the Superbowl.

I believe I've seen Larry block. Can Calvin block?
Does Randy Moss even get off the line of scrimmage when he's not a primary or secondary option? (no need to re-post the video evidence here)

I hope Randy does what is necessary on Sunday to help the Niners win. I'm pretty certain Harbaugh won't be expecting the same contribution from Randy that was expected every single game from Rice.

Right, but Rice also played 5 extra years. If Randy plays 5 more years, his averages are going to dip significantly - they already have.

If you take the first 14 years (to match up with Randy's totals), Rice averaged 81 receptions, 12 touchdowns and 1258 yards and that's including the fact that in one of those seasons he played 1 1/4 games.

Also, Jerry added another 10 touchdowns during that time rushing, nearly a touchdown more a season. Randy doesn't have one of those.

Compare averages over the same length of time or the cumulative amount and Moss hasn't come close to Jerry's totals. It's not even close.

Very valid argument, rcade (I couldn't open it, but I'm pretty sure I know what he was sayin') . . . but the conversation here seems to be fixated on statistics; if Moss was so valuable, why was he dumped or traded so many times?

Yeah, Sunday Super Bowls are just a lazy, non-imaginative, on-going charade the NFL chooses to continue. We now have football every week on Monday, Thursday and, during the playoffs, Saturday. But after two long, ridiculous weeks off they still have to have the Super Bowl on Sunday? It sucks. You have a party, but by the time the game gets going at 6:30 (ET), the partying generally starts winding down because a large number of attendees begin to realize they need to be up early the next morning for work. By halftime, people watch the game but the fun is even more tempered because you know many will have to head for the door once the game ends. People have to work in a few hours; kids have to be in bed to be ready for school. A simple move to Saturday would allow the fun for fans to continue, with all Sunday to rest up and still experience a productive Monday.

It really sucks for me, because Monday is my 7:30 a.m. To 7:30 p.m. workday. I'll have a good time with people over to watch the Sabres at 3, the Super Bowl after, but it could be SO much better! Not a tragedy by any stretch, but the NFL should realize why this change makes sense.